Help with cat virus

[Maggieandme]

Six days ago Maggie was diagnosed with a cat virus. She spent 2 days at the animal hospital, she was very ill with a very high temperature. A battery of tests and blood work determined she had contracted a virus, origin unknown.
The vet gave us medication for her and sent her home because she was so uneasy at the clinic she could not rest.
She is slowly improving every day however she is still not eating very much. She is drinking and we have been giving her cat milk along with her water. I am afraid to know how much weight she has lost.
I would be so grateful for any advice you could offer in aiding her recovery.
Thanks Laurie :sad::sad::sad:

[growler~GateKeeper]

If you can get some Wellness grain free canned food & tempt Maggie with that, most cats love the Wellness & it is a holistic food with no fillers. You can sprinkle abit of cheese, catnip, cooked chicken, or melted butter on top of her food to tempt her into eating. Try a few different varieties see what she really likes. Basically you need to find anything she will eat at this point

As for overall advice to help her along, make sure she is eating, drinking, using the litterbox, warm, comfy, clean & dry - your basic supportive care.

They didn't say what virus? or they don't know?

[Maggieandme]

Thanks Growler.
Maggie is the poster child for Wellness food.She has been eating Wellness thanks to Sugarcatmom for well over a year now.

My understanding was the Vet could not be sure what strain of virus she had picked up or where. She had been into the clinic for a check-up 10 days prior to this and had been given a clean bill of health.
I will try your suggestions,we haven't tried butter yet .

I wonder if the antibotic Clavamox she is taking twice a day could be affecting her appetite. We are thankfully nearly done with it.
Thanks so much. We are so worried about her.
Laurie

[badger]

Clamavox is notorious for affecting appetite in many cats so things should improve.
When she got a clean bill of health 10 days previous, was there a blood test? I'm just wondering why the vet thinks it is a virus. Does he think it was there all along?
You can only deal with what's in front of you. Let the vet think about the big picture and keep those calories coming, in whatever form she will take them. My appetite-challenged cat prefers several small meals over the course of the day so if she can only handle a tablespoon at a time, don't despair.
Is she using the litterbox? If her systems are all working, even on a small amount of food, that is a good sign.

[sugarcatmom]

Yup, Clavamox is definitely an appetite killer for many cats. It's important to give it on a full stomach, which I realize can be tough if she's not eating much in the first place. Does Maggie have any other symptoms like a stuffy nose? Not being able to smell the food could also be a factor, since cat's appetites are largely influenced by smell. Finding the stinkiest food you can (if she likes fish - Fancy Feast fish flavours usually fit the bill) might help. Something else that's really appealing to cats is plain meat baby food such as Heinz Chicken in Broth (which doesn't have onions - very important).

Are there any treats she really likes? I'm usually not a fan of Greenies, but my cat goes so crazy for them that giving him a few can really jump-start his appetite if it's not up to par. Temptations are another popular one. You could crumble them on top of some canned food.

Because the antibiotics are no doubt doing a number on Maggie's intestinal flora, you should consider adding the good stuff back in with some probiotics. I recommend the capsules you get from a health food store as they are higher potency than say yogurt. Natural Factors Ultimate Multi Probiotic is my favourite and you only need to add a teensy amount (like 1/6th of a capsule) to some food (or cat milk).

As for where she got this mysterious virus, was she vaccinated at all at her recent check-up?

[Maggieandme]

Thanks for your help.

Maggie is much improved today. Her appetite is a little better, as she picks the temptations out of her cat food she is getting a little more to eat. I know you are not a fan of the cat milk and she has not had any for a long time but we are giving it to her now. How much is too much ?

Maggie did have a rabies shot and was de-wormed at her check-up, she did not have blood work at that time. Her vital signs were all normal. The Vet did not think she was having a reaction ten days later. We have tried to think what could have caused this but we are at a loss. Because we spend alot of time outdoors I suppose she could have had contact with something while I wasn't looking. At this point we only wish for her to recover. Ed has swept the property for dead or sick animals, nothing. I have disinfected every hard surface inside the house and wash her bedding daily.
Laurie

[sugarcatmom]

Originally Posted by Maggieandme

Maggie is much improved today. Her appetite is a little better, as she picks the temptations out of her cat food she is getting a little more to eat.

Yay!!! That's a very good sign. When one of my cats was sick, he ate nothing but Wysong cat treats and yogurt for almost 2 weeks, but it was enough to keep him going and he eventually pulled through.

Originally Posted by Maggieandme

I know you are not a fan of the cat milk and she has not had any for a long time but we are giving it to her now. How much is too much ?

I have absolutely no problem with the cat milk for situations like this and even keep a couple cartons of the stuff in my pantry, just in case. I would keep offering it to her until she gets her proper appetite back.

Originally Posted by Maggieandme

Maggie did have a rabies shot and was de-wormed at her check-up, she did not have blood work at that time. Her vital signs were all normal. The Vet did not think she was having a reaction ten days later.

You may never know what the source of her illness is, unfortunately. I'm not entirely convinced that the rabies vax should be let off the hook so easy. Fever, innappetance, lethargy, are all very common side effects, even up to several days later. Either way, the important thing is she's on the mend! How much more Clavamox is she supposed to be getting?

[Maggieandme]

Hi It looks to me like there are only a couple of doses left, maybe one more day. She was also given steroids to reduce her fever at the time.
I hope her good health has not been damaged by this ordeal. Only time will tell.
It makes me very uncomfortable to think this could be the result of a prescribed medication. I have done some homework since we last visited about vaccinations. I have also wondered if she picked something up at the clinic while we were there for the check-up. For now, I am directing all my efforts towards her recovery.
Always thankful for your expertise.
Laurie and Maggie

[sugarcatmom]

Originally Posted by Maggieandme

It makes me very uncomfortable to think this could be the result of a prescribed medication.

Oh I totally understand, and I hope I don't seem like I'm fear-mongering. I just think it's important to learn about what it is we're putting into our pet's bodies (and our own), whether it be food, supplements, or medication. In this day and age, it's unwise to assume the "forces of authority" are always looking out for our best interests.

Anyway, most animals have no problem with vaccines, but there are some that do, and it's good to at least be aware of potential side-effects. Whatever it is that's going on with Maggie, you're doing a great job helping her recover.

[Maggieandme]

It is the province of knowledge to speak and the privilige of wisdom to listen.

Thanks Sugarcatmom for your help and concern. Maggie has turned the corner today. She is tearing thru the house like a fiend.
Laurie and

[Love4himies]

Glad to hear that Maggie is doing much better

Sure would love to see some pics of her